ILS Game Thread

[sdshox]

Some perspective:

While losing today sucks:
* Five years ago this meant no NCAAs. Today it means a spot or two in seeding.
* We avoid what would have been another ridiculously physical game and have time to rest for the tourney that really matters. I know we're not 100% healthy, so this surely helps.
* The guys fought to the end and will surely learn and develop from this in the next two weeks.
* We're still not Creighton.

[AndShock]

I hope UNI wins in the semifinal and championship by 50. Screw the ankle biters.

Although a 3k attendance championship game would be pretty funny.

[1979Shocker]

I'd prefer a 6 seed. I do not want to be a 4/5 seed in Kentucky's region.

Also, if Illinois State beats UNI tomorrow, they're a top 50 RPI team. Which adds two top 50 wins to our resume. Which shows how silly arbitrary RPI cutoffs can be, when our resume technically improves by losing.

So, UNI got a bye to the finals?

[KCGreek]

From a WU alum of over 60 years, I remain incredibly proud of our Shockers despite this loss to ISU.Don't despair and have patience, kids. There's still a lot of ball to play, and my faith in Marshall and our boys has not waivered one bit.Go Shockers!

[FlyingWheat]

So, UNI got a bye to the finals?

Go...Loyola?

[Shocker85]

Although a 3k attendance championship game would be pretty funny.

I'll bet you can get a good seat for $5 for tomorrow now.

[Rlh04d]

So, UNI got a bye to the finals?

Also, if Illinois State beats UNI tomorrow...

I said IF Illinois State beats UNI tomorrow for a reason. There are two conditionals implied in that statement.

Best case scenario for the conference is UNI beats Loyola and loses to Illinois State. Three bids, UNI with a 5 seed, WSU with a 6, Illinois State with an 11 seed, maybe?

[CBB_Fan]

The Valley has a few simple rules. First, every team lives and dies by off balance threes. Second, every underdog will have one game in the season where the garbage they throw out goes in. Third, games with Higgins are bizarro world monstrosities where the more aggressive team never gets a foul call.

This team has issues, but this was a valley problem. Almost identical to the Higgins reffed ISUr semifinal game a few years ago. We are in a massive risk for getting upset but not because we lost this game because we are completely 3 reliant team that goes colder than an Alaskan winter at least once every couple games.

If we had a better reffing crew and didn't have our cold game next to ISUr's hot game the outcome would have different. But despite losing a couple seeds, the issue isn't the loss but the way the team is composed.

[Royalno5]

I don't care what the percentages are, inconsistent outside shooting has been a problem all year. With the lost of all the inside players from last year, It was very important we hit threes this year. When Baker struggles we struggle.

[ShockerMas]

Higgins gonna Higgins, I'll leave my thoughts at that

[Mr. Obvious]

The MVC title game will have the smallest crowd of all time tomorrow. Sorry Stl, a $1m just left town.

[jdshock]

Not sure what the committee will do but if you dig deep in your resume it's not a good thing. 1 top 45 RPI win over Northern Iowa at home. Next best win a home win over Tulsa RPI 47 at the moment.

Wins against Seton Hall, Memphis, Alabama are all wins that are solid but their RPI's are in the 80's and none are tourney teams.

Might be looking at a 6 seed but maybe your reputation can get you a 5 seed.

I tend not to hate your posts. Even the "Woe is Kentucky" posts when UK is down 1 point 5 minutes into a game.

Get off our board trying to tell us our resume doesn't have any good wins after we lose to a good ISUr team playing the game of their lives.

Feel free to insult our team in a few days, but I just can't believe a real person in the world has the nerve to post on another team's board minutes after a loss like you did. At least everyone around here are actual fans. Pick enough teams to like and one of 'em is guaranteed to win the championship every year.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Team plays zone
Team keys on Baker
We lose our offensive flow and stand around
We let team get ahead of us and lose.

Except for line 4, I think I've seen this before. Today we didn't get lucky.

Better fix this or will be cooked in the tourney.

Some weaknesses cannot be fixed.
a. Post defense
b. Bench scoring
c. Bench minutes
d. Weak free throw percentage
e. Post defenders' excessive fouls

If I was Coach Rio, I would play Zach, until his wheels fell off.

There are some plays, which just are not working for us.

[forevershockerfan]

Illinois State has to win Sunday to Dance. If that happens, the Valley would finally get 3 dancing. They are very capable of beating UNI or Loyola. We really did not knock down 3 pointers, and they had lots of throws and they made lots of them while we missed a few key throws at the end.

[shoxlax]

The MVC title game will have the smallest crowd of all time tomorrow. Sorry Stl, a $1m just left town.

Good point, are three bids greater than the lost revenue of Shocker fans and a lower seed that could potentially help give us another round of play?